what key would this be?

[famous beagle]

Of course, the real reason for using an E instead of an E minor is that Am, G, F, Em just doesn't sound all that good.

Well, that's subjective. U2 made it sound really good in "Staring at the Sun."

 

[corban]

Well, that's subjective. U2 made it sound really good in "Staring at the Sun."

Good call. Also, the real reason that it doesn't "sound good" is because of the lack of leading seventh to properly give the feeling of a tonal center at Am. The times that it works like that U2 song, is when the minor dominant gives the feeling of a key change, where the tonal center at Am is irrelevant.